Parliamentary Activities

There are far too many hospitals that are not meeting their A and E waiting-time targets, and the RAH is certainly one of them.

I have been contacted by dozens of patients and staff over recent weeks. I want to share some of their experiences and to ask some questions of the health secretary on their behalf. One woman described to me recently how her mother had a 13 and a half hour wait in A and E with two broken bones in her back. Another told me how her father waited four and a half hours for an ambulance, and when he finally got to the RAH there were no trolleys available and no porters to find one. The health secretary will be aware that other patients have waited for up to 20 hours.

Those are not criticisms of the dedicated and hard-working staff at the RAH. In fact, several people have provided me with examples of the outstanding work that staff are doing in extremely difficult circumstances. One man described how, when he was in the hospital for a knee operation recently, the nursing staff even turned their eating area into a waiting room for patients who could not get a bed. Staff are going above and beyond the call of duty.

I have a significant number of questions for the health secretary on behalf of patients and staff. Given that she wants to be as open and transparent as possible, I hope that she will answer those questions for RAH patients and staff. If she cannot do so in her closing speech, I would welcome a response in writing.

How long does the cabinet secretary envisage the support team being in the hospital? What were the weekly stats for the RAH that she received last Tuesday at noon, which was the day on which she sent in the support team? Does the cabinet secretary agree that there are staff shortages at the RAH? Does she accept what staff and patients have been saying about the shortage of beds to meet current demand and, if so, what does she intend to do about it? Given that the cabinet secretary had so much to say about cancelled operations, can she tell us how many cancelled operations there have been at the RAH in the past few months? I am certainly aware of constituents who have had operations cancelled.

Patients and staff are demanding answers to those questions. We have seen concerns about adverts for volunteers at the RAH’s A and E department. Do the Scottish Government and the cabinet secretary still support the use of volunteers in A and E? The cabinet secretary will know that it was reported in The Herald last week that the Government has been made aware of two critical and very serious incidents in which patients at the RAH were injured while at A and E. People rightly expect such serious incidents to be fully investigated to find out why they occurred and how they can be prevented from happening again. How many other critical incidents has the cabinet secretary been made aware of in the RAH and in other hospitals?

I hope that the health secretary will be able to respond to those questions. My final question to her is simple. She has called on Jenny Marra to apologise, but given that the NHS Scotland chief executive has apologised to patients at the RAH, I ask the cabinet secretary to apologise to patients and staff there, because they have been badly let down by her Government. Our NHS and the RAH in Paisley deserve much better than they are currently getting.

I know that there have been issues related to mortality rates at the Royal Alexandra hospital, and I welcome any progress in reducing them.

One statistic that we already know—it is shocking—is that 23 per cent of patients, which is almost one in four people, waited for longer than the four-hour target time for treatment at the RAH in December last year. Last week, after concerns had been raised by staff and patients for months, a support team was finally sent into the RAH, confirming the A and E crisis.

That crisis was apparent to anyone who had spoken to patients and staff over recent months, and it would have been highlighted at an earlier stage had A and E statistics been published more frequently. It is welcome that a crisis team has finally been sent in, but one wonders whether the health secretary has a grip on the situation when she denies on the Monday that there is a crisis but on Tuesday sends in a crisis team to a major hospital.

I welcome the opportunity to speak in Scottish Labour’s debate this afternoon about the need for open and transparent information in the challenges that face our national health service.

I want to focus my remarks today specifically on the challenges that are facing the Royal Alexandra hospital in Paisley—the hospital where I was born, the hospital where I have been a patient as a child and an adult, and the hospital where I have visited family and friends. It is, however, a hospital that has recently been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, and where thousands of patients and staff have been badly let down and have been failed over recent months.

As has been said already this afternoon, we should have full transparency and openness in our national health service. RAH patients want to know what has gone wrong and what will be done to fix the problems that their health service is experiencing. I welcome the fact that the chief statistician and the Scottish Government have listened to the persistent calls from Labour members and have finally agreed to make their weekly A and E statistics public. There should be no veil of secrecy.

I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. He will be aware that the Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism recently rejected Renfrewshire Council’s proposal that an additional enterprise area theme based around creative and cultural industries be established, and that Paisley town centre be identified as the first enterprise zone with that theme. An enterprise zone in Paisley town centre would build on the existing creative and cultural strengths of Paisley and would be a welcome boost to the area in creating jobs. I therefore ask the cabinet secretary whether he will reconsider his Government’s decision to reject the council’s proposal—a proposal that would help to revitalise Paisley town centre and the local economy.

There is a groundswell of opinion in favour of lifting the ban. Why does it appear that the SNP Government ministers are against that proposal when a consultation and a pilot project have not taken place?

I was at the St Mirren v Inverness Caledonian Thistle game on Saturday, and a clear majority of supporters—many of them families—from both clubs wanted the ban on alcohol lifted. Scottish Labour, the Scottish Conservatives and—I remind the minister—many SNP back benchers including Kenny MacAskill, the former Cabinet Secretary for Justice, want the blanket ban to be looked at, although, of course, the police should have discretion.

The ban on alcohol at football matches was introduced in 1980, before I and hundreds of thousands of other football fans were even born. It is time to rethink the policy. The minister will be aware that people can have a drink of alcohol at the rugby, at the theatre, at a music venue and—if they pay enough—at football hospitality. Surely, the minister would not say that ordinary football fans cannot be trusted to have a drink. Surely, it is time to look again at the blanket ban.

That the Parliament congratulates Castlehead High School in Paisley on achieving a Big Society award for its literacy initiative and, in particular, the paired reading scheme; notes that the quality of the work of the school has previously been recognised by Education Scotland and now the UK Government has given national acknowledgement to the commitment of pupils who give their own time to assist younger members of the school to succeed, and pays tribute to the school’s pupils, parents, staff and the headteacher, Martin Macdonald.

That the Parliament congratulates Castlehead High School in Paisley on achieving a Big Society award for its literacy initiative and, in particular, the paired reading scheme; notes that the quality of the work of the school has previously been recognised by Education Scotland and now the UK Government has given national acknowledgement to the commitment of pupils who give their own time to assist younger members of the school to succeed, and pays tribute to the school’s pupils, parents, staff and the headteacher, Martin Macdonald.

As an amendment to motion S4M-11304 in the name of Liz Smith (Addressing the Attainment Gap in Scottish Schools), leave out from "delivering maximum" to "headteachers" and insert "reducing the gap before children start school through increased and improved pre-school provisions, removing barriers to young people’s opportunities and learning at school, closing the attainment gap for all children with a particular focus on looked-after children".

As an amendment to motion S4M-11304 in the name of Liz Smith (Addressing the Attainment Gap in Scottish Schools), leave out from "delivering maximum" to "headteachers" and insert "reducing the gap before children start school through increased and improved pre-school provisions, removing barriers to young people’s opportunities and learning at school, closing the attainment gap for all children with a particular focus on looked-after children".

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29/10/2014

That the Parliament congratulates the Paisley Daily Express, which is celebrating the 140th anniversary of its first edition; considers that, from the paper’s early days as a four-page issue in September 1874, through to the full colour newspapers of 2014, it has always played a key role in the local community by providing excellent coverage of what matters in the town; pays tribute to all the staff at the paper for what it sees as their continued hard work to ensure outstanding reporting of local news and events, and wishes the Paisley Daily Express continued success in the future.

That the Parliament congratulates the Paisley Daily Express, which is celebrating the 140th anniversary of its first edition; considers that, from the paper’s early days as a four-page issue in September 1874, through to the full colour newspapers of 2014, it has always played a key role in the local community by providing excellent coverage of what matters in the town; pays tribute to all the staff at the paper for what it sees as their continued hard work to ensure outstanding reporting of local news and events, and wishes the Paisley Daily Express continued success in the future.

That the Parliament congratulates #TeamRenfrewshire, a team of workers from Renfrewshire Council who will spend eight days building new houses with villagers in Lesotho with the Habitat for Humanity GB charity; applauds the team members, Gail McMillan, Alan Rafferty, Johdi Bryant, Kevin Hampsay, Hazel McArthur, Gail Scoular and Lisa Morris from Paisley for their fundraising efforts, which have raised almost £15,000 so far, with the aim of raising another £5,000, and wishes #TeamRenfrewshire all the best with their efforts in Lesotho in September 2014.

That the Parliament congratulates #TeamRenfrewshire, a team of workers from Renfrewshire Council who will spend eight days building new houses with villagers in Lesotho with the Habitat for Humanity GB charity; applauds the team members, Gail McMillan, Alan Rafferty, Johdi Bryant, Kevin Hampsay, Hazel McArthur, Gail Scoular and Lisa Morris from Paisley for their fundraising efforts, which have raised almost £15,000 so far, with the aim of raising another £5,000, and wishes #TeamRenfrewshire all the best with their efforts in Lesotho in September 2014.

As an amendment to motion S4M-10147 in the name of Humza Yousaf (The Impact of Immigration Policy on Higher Education in Scotland), leave out from second "that Scotland" to end and insert "in a modern, welcoming and inclusive Scotland where the diversity of its many cultures is celebrated; recognises the success of Labour’s Fresh Talent initiative, which encouraged foreign nationals to work, study and thereafter stay in Scotland; believes that independence would threaten higher education in Scotland through its impact on research council funding and the ability to promote Scotland’s universities on a global stage through the UK’s network of embassies and consulates, and also believes that there would be significant legal and financial consequences of the Scottish Government’s intention to discriminate against students from the rest of the UK in the event of independence."

As an amendment to motion S4M-10147 in the name of Humza Yousaf (The Impact of Immigration Policy on Higher Education in Scotland), leave out from second "that Scotland" to end and insert "in a modern, welcoming and inclusive Scotland where the diversity of its many cultures is celebrated; recognises the success of Labour’s Fresh Talent initiative, which encouraged foreign nationals to work, study and thereafter stay in Scotland; believes that independence would threaten higher education in Scotland through its impact on research council funding and the ability to promote Scotland’s universities on a global stage through the UK’s network of embassies and consulates, and also believes that there would be significant legal and financial consequences of the Scottish Government’s intention to discriminate against students from the rest of the UK in the event of independence."

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29/05/2014

As an amendment to motion S4M-09963 in the name of Alasdair Allan (Life Sciences), insert at end "; notes the important contribution that Research Councils UK funding makes to scientific research at Scotland’s universities, and believes that the UK Government should carry out a thorough assessment of the potential economic and scientific impact of Pfizer’s proposed takeover of AstraZeneca".

As an amendment to motion S4M-09963 in the name of Alasdair Allan (Life Sciences), insert at end "; notes the important contribution that Research Councils UK funding makes to scientific research at Scotland’s universities, and believes that the UK Government should carry out a thorough assessment of the potential economic and scientific impact of Pfizer’s proposed takeover of AstraZeneca".

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 08/05/2014

That the Parliament acknowledges what it sees as Renfrewshire Council’s continued commitment to tackling poverty and inequality; welcomes the council’s commitment of a further £3 million to its Tackling Poverty Commission; believes that this additional funding comes on top of the £20 million that the authority has already deployed to deal with the issue; understands that the commission will assess the nature, causes and impact of child poverty in Renfrewshire and make recommendations about the deployment of a strategic approach to mitigate and minimise the issue’s impact; believes that the commission will hear evidence from a range of individuals and organisations with experience in tackling poverty and identify the actions, policies and levers that will make the most difference in Renfrewshire, and looks forward to the publication of the commission’s report and recommendations.

That the Parliament acknowledges what it sees as Renfrewshire Council’s continued commitment to tackling poverty and inequality; welcomes the council’s commitment of a further £3 million to its Tackling Poverty Commission; believes that this additional funding comes on top of the £20 million that the authority has already deployed to deal with the issue; understands that the commission will assess the nature, causes and impact of child poverty in Renfrewshire and make recommendations about the deployment of a strategic approach to mitigate and minimise the issue’s impact; believes that the commission will hear evidence from a range of individuals and organisations with experience in tackling poverty and identify the actions, policies and levers that will make the most difference in Renfrewshire, and looks forward to the publication of the commission’s report and recommendations.

That the Education and Culture Committee recommends that the Teachers’ Superannuation (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2014 (SSI 2014/44) be annulled.

Supported by: Jayne Baxter

Current Status: Fallen on 24/06/2014

That the Parliament reaffirms its support for the curriculum for excellence, which it believes can make a significant contribution to Scottish education; however notes the serious and continuing concerns expressed by teachers and the worries of parents across Scotland about the readiness of preparation for the new National 4 and 5 examinations and the introduction of new highers, including over 30 complaints by the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association and also the EIS, which has "not encountered as widespread anger and disappointment and frustration with the exams authority as we are currently witnessing"; welcomes the somewhat belated announcement of extra resources and materials by the Scottish Government, which hopefully will allay many of these concerns, and now calls on the Scottish Government to publish a full action plan; agrees with the EIS that "lessons must be learned", and further believes that an independent review should be carried out in summer 2014 on the actions taken by the SQA, Education Scotland and the Scottish Government when implementing the current phase of the curriculum for excellence.

That the Parliament reaffirms its support for the curriculum for excellence, which it believes can make a significant contribution to Scottish education; however notes the serious and continuing concerns expressed by teachers and the worries of parents across Scotland about the readiness of preparation for the new National 4 and 5 examinations and the introduction of new highers, including over 30 complaints by the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association and also the EIS, which has "not encountered as widespread anger and disappointment and frustration with the exams authority as we are currently witnessing"; welcomes the somewhat belated announcement of extra resources and materials by the Scottish Government, which hopefully will allay many of these concerns, and now calls on the Scottish Government to publish a full action plan; agrees with the EIS that "lessons must be learned", and further believes that an independent review should be carried out in summer 2014 on the actions taken by the SQA, Education Scotland and the Scottish Government when implementing the current phase of the curriculum for excellence.

Supported by: Kezia Dugdale

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26/02/2014

That the Parliament notes that 26-27 October 2013 marked the opening weekend of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup being held in England and Wales; acknowledges the input that Scottish players have had to the tournament's history since Hawick-born Dave Valentine was the first winning captain to lift the trophy for Great Britain in the inaugural 1954 tournament; recognises this is the third tournament at which a Scotland team will be represented, and wishes the team, which is managed by Steve McCormack and captained by the 2013 Super League Man of Steel, Danny Brough, good luck in the tournament.

That the Parliament notes that 26-27 October 2013 marked the opening weekend of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup being held in England and Wales; acknowledges the input that Scottish players have had to the tournament's history since Hawick-born Dave Valentine was the first winning captain to lift the trophy for Great Britain in the inaugural 1954 tournament; recognises this is the third tournament at which a Scotland team will be represented, and wishes the team, which is managed by Steve McCormack and captained by the 2013 Super League Man of Steel, Danny Brough, good luck in the tournament.

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will to take to help students facing financial hardship during the summer.

Answered byAngela Constance
(24/02/2015):

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all students are afforded the opportunity to access education whatever their personal circumstances. In addition to free tuition, students with a family income of less than £17,000 can access an annual minimum income of £7,500 (from 2014-15), through a combination of bursaries and loans. Students who have been in care can also apply for a grant, of up to £105 per week, towards their accommodation costs during the summer vacations.

In 2014, as part of a manifesto commitment, the summer exemption from council tax to students articulating from college to university was extended. Further support is also available through the discretionary funds we allocate to colleges and universities each year, which they can use to provide support to students who require additional assistance over the summer vacation.

Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24/02/2015

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will to take to help students facing financial hardship during the summer.

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates over the last year the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Scottish Government Resilience has met.

Answered byJohn Swinney
(03/02/2015):

The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Scottish Government Resilience is a standing committee which meets as required to review the Scottish Government's arrangements for dealing with civil contingencies. If the situation requires, the committee may also be convened by Scottish Ministers in response to specific events. In the past year, ministers have convened the committee on the following dates.

Date

Subject of meeting

13-02-2014

Flooding/Weather

14-02-2014

Flooding/Weather

23-02-2014

Flooding/Weather

16-04-2014

Utilities/Power Failure

17-04-2014

Utilities/Power Failure

08-08-2014

Russian Food Embargo

03-09-2014

Threat Level

04-09-2014

Threat Level

14-09-2014

Murder of David Haines

08-10-2014

Ebola

15-10-2014

Ebola

26-10-2014

Flooding/Weather

27-10-2014

Ebola

27-10-2014

Flooding/Weather

28-10-2014

Flooding/Weather

09-12-2014

Flooding/Weather

10-12-2014

Flooding/Weather

22-12-2014

Bin Lorry Incident in Glasgow

29-12-2014

Ebola

30-12-2014

Ebola

09-01-2015

Severe Weather

10-01-2015

Severe Weather

11-01-2015

Severe Weather

Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 03/02/2015

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates over the last year the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Scottish Government Resilience has met.

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of its capital budget has been spent in each local authority area in each year since 2007.

Answered byJohn Swinney
(16/01/2015):

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-23855 on 16 January 2015. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: